


Snowy Concerns

by dapper_robot



Category: SteamWorld Quest (Video Game)
Genre: Snow, Talk about death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-13 11:22:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20581688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dapper_robot/pseuds/dapper_robot
Summary: What happened during the way to the mountains after the campfire scene? Well here it is.





	Snowy Concerns

Out of all the elements she could cast, ice got her attention the most. The feeling of pulling it directly out of her steampipe (which she hid, she was self conscious) was a feeling those who aren't alchemists could never understand. It was best described as if one were grabbing your steam with their hand grotesquely out stretched, and that wasn't to say it was a bad feeling. It wasn't good either just... A feeling. Nothing less nothing more.

But here, she didn't need the steam from her pipe. It was all around her, and it wasn't what she had expected. She never exactly got the chance to go into these mountains until now. First of all, it was crunchy. Almost like stepping on a leaf in autumn but not nearly as satisfying or fun. It was constant too, the snow was borderline close to being ice, and they were all only on the path that was cleared. How the rest must be piqued her curiosity.

Everyone else was ahead of her, too. Not that she minded much. Galleo and Orik seemed to be getting along well, she remembered when Galleo had threatened the old steambot at the college. Now was not the time to think about the college.

On the way here, Galleo had ripped off a tree branch off a fallen tree to use as a walking stick. Now, it wasn't thin either. It was almost as thick as her wrist. How he had managed that was obvious, he was strong. His line of work required it.

Tarah and Thayne shared a scarf, and had their capes on like coats. It was, honestly, adorable. But also that would be hard to walk. They were taking it easy for now, all of them. According to Orik, Gilgamech can't teleport or walk all that fast. Not only that, they needed to save their energy. Normal walking pace would do for now.

In the end, only one person was behind her, actually.

Armilly.

Looking back, Armilly seemed to slightly struggle, then continue as if nothing happened. She also had a scarf, it was cold up here. Armilly never was that good with the cold. It didn't hurt her more than others, no. She just liked it the least. Her only element was fire, it made sense. Cold and heat was impossible to mix completely. Sure, you could get lukewarm water, but it was still more warm than cold. Though that wasn't really the issue here.

Armilly wasn't talking.

Now, she didn't expect her to talk 24/7, but this was a lot more silence than usual. Ever since the campfire, being next to Armilly gave the feeling of almost suffocating silence. It was hard for steambots to suffocate in the first place, but that wasn't the point. The point was Armilly was almost refusing to talk, if not already.

As Copernica stopped for exactly two seconds, enough time for Armilly to catch up, she looked at her face. Armilly's expression had determination written all over it. But there was a feeling of something else under that expression, she wouldn't doubt if it was grief of some kind.

The person she had looked up to for so long had paralyzed her, and was going against everything he had claimed to be. It may as well had been the death of a person, and seeing that death in front of you happening, and the body walking. She understood how that felt, it had happened to her, too. And then that person died again, and there was no body.

Sure, they were still there. They had the same voice and movements, but everything they stood for had crumbled, their morals had been smashed, and their personality had morphed into an entirely new person. The old self was dead and gone, and the person went so far that revival was impossible. Or that they died again, this time physically.

Sometimes, a second death was good. Sometimes the old version of someone was horrible. But sometimes the old version of someone was someone who you got all your ideals from. It was distressing to say the least.

Though Armilly had been quiet for so long, Copernica hadn't exactly talked to her either. Maybe if she talked, Armilly would answer.

"Is it too cold for you?" Copernica realized her voice strained ever so slightly. What the hell? She really didn't want her voice to do that right now.

Armilly only shook her head.

_Oh no_, she's straight up refusing to talk. She's only ever done this once, and that's when... She didn't want to think about that. But just briefly thinking about it reminded her of the people who asked why she was friends with Armilly. Why an alchemist like _her_ who could get into college was friends with someone like Armilly. It usually resulted in her angrily staring a hole into them, or the very rare rude set of words that'd make a mother never want their child by her again in fear the child would begin a game of copycat.

The answer more came with a question; why _wouldn't_ she be friends with someone like Armilly? Armilly was sweet and kind, she was brave and did everything she could to reach her goals. Sure, she was like a small tornado, but in a strange way, that was part of the charm. And in the end, she was a good person! She had every reason to be friends with her.

And moments like these, where Armilly was this upset, reminded her of why they had become friends in the first place, and why they continue to be, and why they most likely always will be.

"Are you hurt?" Copernica's voice came out gently. She didn't mean physically at all. They hadn't run into any monsters yet.

Armilly hesitated for a few good seconds, then put her hand in a flat outward middle position, before making said hand gently tilt left and right. So she understood she didn't mean physical either, that's good. But now Copernica didn't know what to say. The reason Armilly wasn't talking was obviously extremely personal. She wasn't about to pressure her.

Just small bit ways ahead, she saw Tarah sigh a mist cloud, only for Thayne to poke it.

"Are you laughing...?" Questioned Thayne.

"Out of all the ones that we make everytime we talk, and you poke that one?"

"Is that bad?"

"No, it's just funny."

"... It was bigger."

"It looked the same to m- AH." She quickly stopped talking when Thayne poked another again.

"That one was bigger too."

"... How much?"

"A centimeter." Thayne smiled while Tarah laughed some more and pulled her cape over herself more. The sight made Copernica smile, it was good they were having fun, especially after learning their past and having that experience at the chop shop.

She looked up at Armilly again.

"Do you need me to do anything?" Armilly immediately shook her head. Copernica sighed to herself. She was worried, and heavily. What if Armilly kept acting like this when their journey was over? What if she didn't stop? What if she wasn't being honest?

Her train of thought was immediately interrupted by the noise of Galleo almost falling, with Orik helping him not fall.

"This- this is why I use the stick!" Galleo sounded embarrassed. Orik just looked concerned, as well as Benji.

"Good thing you had it then, at least."

"Stupid legs..." Galleo mumbled to himself.

"Don't be mean to your legs." Orik immediately realized how stupid that sounded and put a hand to his face. Seconds past and Galleo gently peeled Orik's hand from his face as if it were a sticker that could rip.

Copernica stopped watching and looked at the snow in front. It was amazing she was even up here. She took a moment.

It would be okay. She could feel it.


End file.
